557 CHAPTER 73: BHAKTICHARU SWAMI INTRODUCTION “One day an unusual, young Bengali man came to Mayapur. Named Kishore Bhattacharya, he was a Vaishnava from birth and obviously intelligent. He spoke impeccable English and was also fluent in German because he was a [chemistry] student in a German university. With simply a little coaxing, he surrendered to Srila Prabhupada and quickly got initiated, receiving the name Ksira-cora-gopinatha dasa. On several occasions he kindly translated conversations between Pisima and me. Months later, Srila Prabhupada awarded this cultured young man sannyasa, changing his name to Bhakticharu Swami.” (Mahamaya dasi, Prabhupada Is Coming!) BHAKTICHARU WAS VERY CLOSE TO TAMAL AND BHAVANANDA From the time he joined ISKCON in early 1977, Bhakticharu was closely associated with Tamal and Bhavananda, who were both major influences on him. His first years in ISKCON were under the direct tutelage of both Tamal and Bhavananda. He took over Bhavananda’s room in the Lotus Building after Bhavananda left in 1987. He would sometimes visit with Tamal in Dallas. During Srila Prabhupada’s last nine months, Tamal was Srila Prabhupada’s personal secretary, and Bhakticharu was Tamal’s assistant for the last eight months, always present by bringing meals, drinks, medicines, and so on. Bhakticharu translated the Bengali and Hindi conversations of the day for Tamal, and acted as a nurse, caretaker, servant. So, knowing the nature of Tamal and Bhavananda, we would begin to wonder why would Bhakticharu maintain lifelong friendship these kinds of people? Birds of a feather flock together… Bhakticharu Swami was trained and nurtured by Tamal as a little brother, as a protégé, as a confidant and assistant. There is no doubt Tamal had Bhakticharu, a fresh new recruit, completely in his control and had an overwhelming influence on him. From Bhakticharu’s 2016 book Ocean Of Mercy, pgs. 89, 101, 126, and 153: “One morning I saw a bright-looking personality walking with Bhavananda Maharaja. There was something striking about this devotee; I just could not keep my eyes off him. Tirthapada, who was standing next to me, said that it was Tamal Krsna Goswami. ‘He is one of the most prominent leaders of our movement.’ I had heard about Tamal Krsna Maharaja; he was a hero of ISKCON. He had joined in San Francisco when the movement was in its infancy and almost right away assumed a leadership role. Since then, Srila Prabhupada had called on him to lead his most important projects… Just the sight of Tamal Krsna Maharaja filled me with awe and reverence. I offered my obeisances from a distance. In the afternoon, when I was with Srila Prabhupada in his room, Maharaja walked in, and Prabhupada’s face lit up with a bright smile. Right away, they began to talk intimately.” “It was quite an experience to be so close to [TKG]. Although we were sharing a room, I still held him in great reverence. In fact, he commanded this kind of respect from practically everyone in ISKCON… I would bow 558 down to him, and he would embrace me. He had been my hero even before I had met him, and his closeness was like a dream- one that I had never imagined would come true… Rooming with Maharaja was one of my most memorable experiences… He always treated me lovingly… In his presence I was constantly learning new and important things… Bhavananda commented with a smile, ‘You are fortunate. Tamal is known for his temper. That’s why he is called Hot Tamale. Anyway, I can see that he has accepted you as his man… you are one of those fortunate souls who has won his favor.” “…but [Tamal Krishna] Maharaja insisted that I stay with him, and I was delighted… to follow his wish.” “Tamal Krsna Maharaja asked Srila Prabhupada many questions- some about management and some on spiritual topics. I was amazed at how he would ask them, and I didn’t think I would ever be able to question Prabhupada in such a manner. One day I was sitting in Maharaja’s office chanting while he was editing letters that he’d typed on Prabhupada’s behalf. When he finished, he looked up and saw that I had been watching him, and he just smiled. I was already feeling deep appreciation for him, and when he smiled at me I couldn’t contain myself. ‘You are so brilliant,’ I said. ‘Whatever you do is so perfect.’” Bhakticharu and Tamal were together in all things. Bhakticharu is Tamal’s “made man.” When Tamal passed away in Mayapura in 2002, and as was witnessed by many devotees including Prahladananda Swami, Bhakticharu Swami was sobbing and cried again and again, “It’s all over now… It’s all over now.” When Srila Prabhupada returned to Bombay from London, Tamal immediately called for Bhakticharu to come from Vrindaban to help him as one of the “trusted caretakers.” Tamal wanted those to help him that he trusted, and that was Bhakticharu. Since we have found Tamal guilty of pouisoning Srila Prabhupada beyond a reasonable doubt, it is incriminating for Bhakticharu that he was recalled by Tamal on October 3, ’77. ONE: SARVABHAVANA CONFIRMS BHAKTICHARU SPOKE OF THE POISONING In 1970 Bhakticharu was a student at a university in Hamburg, Germany, studying chemistry. One of his Indian friends at this Hamburg university joined the movement before he did and was initiated as Sarvabhavana das. Bhakticharu went to the ISKCON Hamburg temple for some time. Years later Bhakticharu joined at Mayapur at the invitation of Sarvabhavana das, and they have been close friends through the years. In 2002 Sarvabhavana das was privately recorded by Sakshi Gopal das stating the following: "He's been telling me for the last 24 years that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned. He even told me he suspected Srila Prabhupada was being poisoned before he left this world. Now he is denying. What is my gain or loss to say this? Bhakticharu Maharaja may remember that I introduced him to Krishna Consciousness and to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada. Why is he saying lies? Why is he denying like this?" This is the first person claiming that Bhakticharu Swami knew about Srila Prabhupada being poisoned. Whether Sarvabhavana das will confirm this again is dubious, as he has much at stake with definite repercussions from ISKCON leadership if he were to publicly make such a statement. But this is what he reluctantly told a former member of the private investigation committee in India around 2003. TWO: BHAKTICHARU SWAMI TOLD PURI MAHARAJA SR THAT HE KNEW? In 2003 an ISKCON devotee from Holland reported that a close friend, initiated by the elder Puri Maharaja, had been told by the new head of that matha (organization) that some years earlier Bhakticharu 559 Swami had approached Puri Maharaja confidentially. Supposedly Bhakticharu Swami sought counsel in distress- he knew of Srila Prabhupada’s poisoning and was unsure of what to do, now that it had become a public issue. This report is unsubstantiated and is technically “hearsay,” just a rumor. However, we find there is so much hearsay or indirect evidence that it all adds up to a lot of smoke, and where there’s smoke, there’s often fire, so further verification and investigation is warranted. THREE: IN 1977 & 2001 BHAKTICHARU SWAMI ADMITS SRILA PRABHUPADA SPOKE OF POISONING, BUT IN 2000 BHAKTICHARU SWAMI DECLARES POISONING ALLEGATIONS TO BE ABSURD Then, from Bhakticharu himself, a statement was made in Europe around 2001: "It's just natural when you get such shocking complaints from Srila Prabhupada, who is very dear to you and he just happened to be the person you thought you were serving lovingly, then suddenly, the food you gave him might have been poisoned!" Here Bhakticharu Swami is acknowledging his understanding in 1977 that Srila Prabhupada was speaking to him about being poisoned, and he thought it would be through the very food that he was giving to Srila Prabhupada. He did not say it was due to bad medicine as he and the ISKCON leaders now claim. Also, on Nov.10, 1977, when Srila Prabhupada again said that someone had poisoned him, Bhakticharu exclaimed aloud to the others in the small room: “Someone gave him poison here!” And when Tamal asked him, “Prabhupada was thinking that someone had poisoned him?” and Bhakticharu replied, “Yes.” However, in 2000 Bhakticharu had decided much differently about Srila Prabhupada’s 1977 statements."When I first heard about this allegation (poisoning) I considered it to be so absurd that I did not think it deserved any response. I could not even imagine that anyone with a rational mind would give any credence to such an allegation." Would Srila Prabhupada’s 1977 allegations of poisoning be also considered absurd by Bhakticharu Swami? Also in 1999, Bhakticharu Swami told Nityananda das that he did not take srila Prabhupada’s statements about poisoning seriously because he though those who were poisoned turned blue…! RECAP: 1977: poisoning acknowledged. 1999: did not take Srila Prabhupada seriously as he did not turn blue. 2000:poisoning idea is absurd. 2001: the food he gave to Srila Prabhupada may have been poisoned. COMMENTS ON BHAKTICHARU ONLINE STATEMENT OCTOBER 4, 1999 Below we will comment piece by piece the statement made in the GBC denial, cover-up book (2000): "Recently one of our god-brothers, Nityananda das, wrote a book, "Someone has Poisoned Me" and alleged that the cause of Srila Prabhupada's disappearance from this planet is arsenic poisoning, and the ones who were serving His Divine Grace at that time administered him that poison.